LeonV

Jeebus, how much torque is your engine making??? If your mustach bar is broken, all sorts of torsional/bending loads will now be imparted on the front diff mount and can cause that to fail too. I don't know if a slow drive home will do it, but it might depending on how badly damaged the mustache bar is. If you have AAA or something similar, I'd just tow it home. I still can't believe your m-bar failed. Please upload pics when you get a chance.

Got a picture? Your description is a bit confusing. Sounds like an impressive failure. You can also refer to this: Datsun 240Z/260Z/280Z Rear Suspension (Strut, Shock Absorber & Transverse Link)

Possibly Minilite or a replica?

Great info, thanks! I've got 6x 47605.009 springs on order from Spruell Motorsports. Spruell charges $2.50 a piece whereas Pierce was $9 a pop when I called them earlier today. I still use the stock pedal linkage in the orange Z but the green one will be using a cable throttle. Hopefully, I can resolve the issue with both as painlessly as possible! Blue, if I'm not mistaken, it may have been you who clued us in on the springs! I remember looking at this site before, probably from a link you gave: webrpump

If you're thinking of bypassing the thermostat, that hose from the back of the head is in no way required to go to the top of the thermo housing! For example, you can have it go straight into the upper rad hose, using a hose coupler with a radially-located fitting for the smaller hose. Basically, slice the upper rad hose in half and figure out a way to incorporate that hose from the back of the head. Or, just tap right into the top of the radiator...

Just to clarify, what is your current setup, ZK? i.e. - Throttle cable actuation - Throttle return springs: 47605.009 - Any external return springs? Did you end up using those new UK throttle levers? Thanks!

Fantastic! Now go and make sure those throttles open all the way and unleash the beast. This is an issue that plagues a lot of triple-carb guys, and I suspect it is a huge part of why many people that try them don't like them. It sucks to come to a stoplight with a 1500rpm idle and having a bunch of corny return springs littered around the engine bay. Like Captain said, it really is about the little things. Big thumbs up.

Looks good! Good times! There won't be as much heat rejected with the control lever on HOT and the fan off, but there is still air going through the core (it's not stagnant). The fan being off doesn't mean zero airflow. It's a lot easier to reject heat through a radiator than it is a rubber hose. Also, I think there's a lot more resistance to flow when the coolant has to snake through the heater core as well as past the control valve, than just a short hose loop. It's definitely not negligible. In the bigger picture, whether you have a heater or a loop, the engine will be OK in normal street driving. I haven't run through the calculations, but I'd like to think that the engineers sized things correctly, or as best as they could. It's when engine demands are increased that a loop from the head to the WP inlet will have a detrimental effect (dangerously unstable temps at back of head).

Very nice, thanks! Yes, your tranny looks to be a late-ZX unit (speedo bolt at 6 o'clock position, one ear below shifter). It has close gear ratios perfect for pairing with lower-geared (numerically higher) rear diffs.

Thanks guys, the replies are all of great help! I'm still curious if that B-box is something more than a stock 5-speed...

Good stuff, thanks! Any info on the numbers in the second pic? Does yours have those? I saw pics of a comp tranny and it had very similar markings, and I'm unsure if they're shared with other early 5-speeds. The problem is that I sold this trans recently and am now thinking that I made a huge mistake!

Your attachment doesn't work on my end. The manual has it right. That thermostat ensures that coolant over 180deg does not flow through the manifold. That's saying the same thing, really.

Thanks Chas. The thing is, this box shows signs of being an early 280Z box with a few things that are different: the shifter ears and missing access cover. Plus, like I said, it was mentioned that it has Porsche-style syncros which I assume they mean steel/servo syncros that are found in the comp boxes. I have a couple of late-ZX boxes lying around to compare to, but I haven't had a chance to examine early type-B 5-speeds.

I don't remember if I've actually started a thread on here before but I need some help in identifying a couple of transmissions. First up, is a type-B 5-speed. I was told by the PO, who was told by someone else that it has Porsche-type (servo) syncros (maybe they meant just 5th gear?). Any way to find out what kind of trans this is short of opening it up? I thought it was a plain-jane 280Z 5-speed since it has the two ears under the shifter and the speed gear bolt is at 12 o'clock, but it "looks" to have the later shifter ears and is missing the top access cover that Marc describes at the bottom of his page: gearing2 Notice the number underneath the shifter ears. Next up, is a type-A 5-speed. I don't know whether it's a Roadster trans converted to work on a Z, a euro trans, or something else. It seems as though the Roadster 5-speeds (FS5C71-A/FS5W71-A) had that driveshaft flange but I'm unsure whether that was shared by other type-B trannies. Any identifying features on this guy? I did read that Roadster trannies are "weaker" but I don't know how much merit that has. I've searched quite a bit and did find some great info posted by guys like Carl B., Alan T., and Marc Sayer. Thanks all.

Nice work. Have you tried adjusting the throttle pedal stop to see if you can get some extra travel or is it maxed out already?

FWIW, the rear wheels on Zs are not centered in the wheel well opening. Take a look at any side-profile. Here's a random pic I found in a quick google search:

It doesn't matter whether the thermostat is open or closed, it is at higher pressure that the water-pump inlet which is the lowest pressure point in the system. This means that everything "wants" to flow back to the water pump inlet. Pressure at the water pump inlet will be less than at the thermo housing, thus flow goes towards the WP inlet. Good point, and I don't know either. This is why I suggested that routing that line from the back of the head to the top of the thermo housing (or beyond) would be a better idea, if even head cooling is the goal. Good question. There are two things going on here: (1) even with the heater valve fully open, there is still some added restriction in the valve and core which makes it a little harder for coolant to bypass the radiator and (2) the heater core itself is a radiator. When set to fully hot, the coolant will slough heat through the core, which drops coolant temps before going back to the WP inlet. I remember going on family trips in a Chevy Lumina that we had for a little while. The cooling system in that car was a joke (heads sat above the top of radiator) and my dad did both head gaskets at one point. When taking grades in the summer heat on the way to Yosemite, he'd turn the heater to full hot and blast the interior fan... in 100deg weather. Oh the good ol' days!

Good effort. Your arrows are a little funky in Figure 1-3, the carb water loop should flow the opposite direction since the lower thermostat housing is a high pressure area and the water pump inlet is low pressure. Figure 3-4 aid in quicker warmup but to the detriment of out-of-control coolant temps at the back of the head. It absolutely does not equalize temperatures! It's a huge short-circuit for hot coolant to take right back to the water pump inlet, bypassing the radiator. This is hard to notice because our temp gauge is at the thermostat housing. Figure 5 does nothing to improve cold-start (closed thermostat) circulation. It may slightly aid in equalizing temps at the back of the head. Routing to the top of the thermo housing (bypassing thermostat) would be more beneficial. However, this would also have to be spec'd as to not completely shunt the thermostat (maintain some restriction in the line).

Wow, I would fly down to SD and buy that Z if I didn't already have 2 sitting in my garage... Looks like it's in fantastic shape and I love the white/red as well! If there truly is no rust, I would say $10-15k is a safe bet. Anything over is icing on the cake. Ebay may be a good idea in this case.

Sweet setup!

Good stuff guys, sounds like I need to place an order on these too...

Damn, that's a great idea! EDIT: I have mine blocked off with BSPT plugs, don't remember the size though. I got them from McMaster.

Well, if the coil wasn't sending spark to the distributor (correct?), I'd start by checking simple things before messing with the module. In other words, quick volt & ohm check on the coil to ensure the primary and secondary windings are OK and that there is close-to battery voltage present at coil +. Check for battery voltage at module as well. Then check the triggering mechanism: reluctor, pickup coil, etc. assuming that the ignition system is indeed similar to the electronic ones found in Zs.

No, the exhaust valve will be a problem, on a stock-bore L24. Refer to my above post.

Yes, the L26 shares bore diameter with the L24, but the L26 is notched from the factory for exhaust valve clearance! I thought the same as you Arne, before I was corrected on this.